Never Say Never: Finding a Life That Fits

Reminiscent of her eponymous talk show, Lake gossips about her accomplishments and failures using her weight as the through line. After a trusted handyman sexually abuses her at age seven, she turned to food to become “invisible.” Her parents callously glossed over the problem, and she ate her way to 200-plus pounds while studying theater. Lake abandoned college when director John Waters sought “a fat girl who can really dance.” Neatly landing the part of Tracy Turnblad, she cheerfully recalls her days filming Hairspray, learning life lessons from cult actor Divine. Emerging stars like Sarah Jessica Parker, Christian Slater, and Johnny Depp decorated the early Hollywood days while Lake’s weight issues convey more authenticity: “Some days I thought I was attractive; other days, I knew I was disgusting.” As job offers dried up, she dieted and got a breast reduction. One-hundred pounds lighter, 23-year-old Lake got her own show that ran for 11 seasons. Instead of dissecting its cultural relevance, Lake concentrates on love and sex. Her passion for her birth documentary, The Business of Being Born, switched her focus to feminism for a beat but soon she was back to body issues as a contestant on Dancing with the Stars. Minus much scoop, Lake gives a glimpse into what makes this self-proclaimed alpha-woman tick. Agent: Andy McNicol at WME. (Apr.)